L26 U Van Series III Update

[turbokinetic]

Don, how's the new trans working (feel, milage, power etc.) with the taller gearing?
Thanks,
David

[Jr's3800]

New Trans is great and shifts really tight.... I installed the 3.06 gears... and used the HV3 Upper intake insert...

On the HV3, While this may be good with a ZZP cam, or a a stock cam... This doesn't seem to be the case with my Comp Cam NA Performance Cam... Factor in almost 4000 Lbs to move.... I need every bit of grunt I can get... However, the top end is fun... 4500 Rpms on up is insane for a 4000 Lb vehicle... Gets from 65 to 90 in a hurry... But for all intent purposes I am not running around at 4500 Rpms, nor am I doing 90 mph all of the time... so for this application the HV3 is not a great thing in my eyes... I think the HV3 will find its new home in my 95 Bonneville along with the ZZP GT1 Cam that will be installed int he future...

I am thinking of going back to the 3.33 gears.... But I need to test the water with the 1897 Stall( Every 1897 stall I have had has always stalled at 2100-2200 ) and the 3.06 gears along with the stock intake runners designed for low end and midrange torque... Will have to see what this gains for me...

as for MPG's I have been doing 20 mostly city...

The minor changes are #2 on my list...

#1 is fixing the Ac in the van so I can drive it more... I have the new AC Delco lines for the compressor, new drier and an automatically adjusting orifice tube filter... I am going to buy a new ( not a reman ) HD6 AC Compressor... Had enough of the remans...

after that will come the rest...lol

[turbokinetic]

Awesome the transmission is working well!

You aren't the only one who is sick and tired of reman compressors! I went round and round with them and swore never again. It's been plenty hot this year. A/C is important!

Did the HV3 insert affect the sound of the engine? Interesting it affected torque that much.

[Jr's3800]

Yep the trans is doing good...

The HV3 is simply a short runner set up... Great for top end power... supposedly it does not really effect Low end so it claims.. But you don't gain any either... But I still think my issue is the cam and the design of the cam...

The cam is good from 1000-5500 Rpms... The torque is flat and strong in this range... All of the calculators I have played with show the torque peak at roughly 3500 Rpms, but even then its a pretty flat curve...

But I do still feel that the cam was designed around the stock long runner set up... with stock runners it pulled pretty good right to the shift... with the HV3 at the top you can tell there is more there... I am just trying to find that happy balance for daily driving...

It really is nice to have a little bit under the hood of a Trans Sport...

[Jr's3800]

Time for another update.... so far I have the new Torque converter sitting here( yes a stock 1897 Stall ).... New AC Compressor with the variable orifice tube filter... New Drier... New AC compressor lines... Had an issue with the Moog front coil springs and figured out how to cure the issue, so those stiffer Moogs will go back on... New Moog rear springs ordered and on their way, should be here tomorrow... New sway bar to lower control arm bushings ordered( Poly-Energy Suspension )....


The ZZP HV3 insert will come off the van, and the stock series II runners will go back on...

I have already altered the tune, using mostly 98 Bonneville tables... so far the van is better all around.. I am running on stock timing tables for the moment... I'll be happy to have a more sporty ride with cold AC... LOL

[Jr's3800]

Time for an update again... Got a minor video of the van before I change it... Yep thats right still haven't gotten to it... at current the 1420 stall is too low of a stall... Due to the cam abd the like this engine needs to be able to get into the revs a tad to shine... The low stall just holds it back... The HV3 is good on the top end, but I don't feel its great for the low end, or this cam.... Please forgive the quality of the Vid, it was done with my LG phone.. Van is full of fuel and 100% street trim with all the seats in it...
\


also forgot.... Its averaging 20-21 in city driving...

[Duke George V]

Fuck yes. That sounds awesome.

[Jr's3800]

Its got a little something to it.... But its not right yet...LOL

[Jr's3800]

Got the torque converter replaced... What a PITA... Much better with the 1897 stall, feels a lot like a Bonneville in terms of driveability... Next on the list change out the Valve Spring Retainers to Manley LSx retainers..... Blarg....lol

[Duke George V]

What was the stall before? The first post mentions something like 3000. That's not stock though, right?

[Jr's3800]

I had the wrong Stall.... The trans was originally a 2.84 with a 1420 stall... I swapped in a 3.06 Diff... Didn't really care about the torque converter at the time.... I soon figured out that I should have cared... So I drove the van almost 1 year on the 1420 stall, it didn't do bad, It just lacked that car like performance...

Bonnevilles that had a 3.06 gear ratio or that were supercharged had a more performance minded stall... 1897 stall is what it was called, no idea why.... Just about every 3800 on earth will stall that converter at 2000-2100.... Make more power and you can stall higher.. I can a decent bit higher than the rating... But the extra stall allows the engine to get into its torque curve quicker if that makes sense... With the cam iirc I am at a torque peak of 4300 or so.... But its a pretty flat curve nice and strong from 2500 to 4500... This is where its making the mass of its torque... So allowing it to jump into the torque curve make for better performance...

Your van with the 3.06 Trans in your van has the 1897 Stall... The L27 peaks at 3200 Rpms at a so called GM rating of 225 Ft Lbs( I believe its a bit higher )..... But due to the nature of the series I 200 Ft Lbs is there just above idle... One of the reasons the van is so driveable, can tow and still feels good while hauling around a full load...

a 3000 stall would kill me and may even overheat the trans to the point of it burning up... Im my opinion there is no reason for a 3000 Stall in a daily driver...

My can is a bit lumpy, and sure sounds like it when you hot start it... Its a Comp Cam NA performance cam... I really should not have used this cam, but for the price NIB I could not pass it up... Another reason I choose the cam was that even tho it was a bit lumpy it still made good strong low end torque.... Its their Extreme Energy Cam Stage 2 I guess you could call it... The other cam was a step above the stock cam, this one is 2 steps above..

The 1420 was just too low of a stall for the cam and the weight of the van..